


circus boy and goblin girl

by nonbinarywithaknife (littleboxes)



Series: me sobbing about critical role [45]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Gen, beware we talk about both molly and nott's pasts in this, mentions of mind control/vis a vis charm spells, so all appropriate warnings for those
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 15:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18123296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleboxes/pseuds/nonbinarywithaknife
Summary: "As soon as she meets him, Nott the Brave can tell that she and Mollymauk Tealeaf will not get along. He is tall, and loud, and condescending, and an absolutely infuriating person overall, and she is absolutely certain that she and him cannot, will not ever get along."





	circus boy and goblin girl

**Author's Note:**

> from this prompt on tumblr from anon: consider this: nott x Molly enemies to friends to lovers  
> edited 7/4/19

As soon as she meets him, Nott the Brave can tell that she and Mollymauk Tealeaf will not get along. He is tall, and loud, and condescending, and an absolutely infuriating person overall, and she is absolutely certain that she and him cannot, _will not_ ever get along.

She says none of this out loud, of course, that would mess with, as Fjord put it so eloquently, “the group dynamics,” not to mention Yasha _likes_ Molly for some reason, and Yasha could kill Nott with her pinky finger. So Nott takes watch with Molly when she has to, and defends him in battle like everyone else, but otherwise, doesn't make much of an effort at all to get to know him at all.

And after he charms her, puts a _spell_ on her (yes, she’d been going through his things, but a _spell_!) her certainty in her decision is further cemented.

But then he tells them. About waking up in a shallow grave, of climbing his way out of the earth knowing nothing, _nothing_ about himself, because he had been dead and now he _wasn’t_ , and now he was someone _new_.

It’s upsetting, to know that of all things, she has _this_ in common with him, but she powers through. Mostly, she’s very, very thankful for her flask.

They stick together, become a group, get a name (the Mighty Nein, _mighty no_ , silly and contrary, just like them) and slowly, slowly, they all become more than allies, they become friends. Even Mollymauk Tealeaf.

It starts with a midnight watch, as so many things do. Caleb is exhausted, from the bandits they’d run into earlier and passes out immediately, the traitor. She’s stuck with him, as Jester claims Beau, and Fjord decided to be stupid, and insist on taking the solo watch.

They’re sitting in silence that, if not comfortable, isn't outright tense, when Molly reaches a hand inside his coat- his loud, eyecatching coat; that makes it so when they walk side by side, on the rare occasion that happens, the attention he receives trickles down to her. Exactly where she prefers it never to be-

and he pulls out his cards. Nott, though she’s never seen a reason to bring it up, has a fair share of superstitions herself, and so while she naturally assumes most of his predictions are bullshit, sometimes- sometimes there’s an air, and you can _tell_ , that this time? You should pay attention.

Molly turns to her, quirking an eyebrow but speaking without his usual tell-tale lilt of mockery. “I’ve noticed that you don’t exactly like me. I can get it, a little- the whole spell thing, but that was months ago- what’s our issue?”

Nott wants to insult him, to loose the sharp words on the tip of her tongue, but his unusually serious tone stops her. He truly… wants to talk, rather than mock. Well, she’s a grown woman, and she _is_ capable of civil conversation.

“Well, you’re loud, and not just in conversation; you’re purple, you wear that coat, and that jewelry, and if you haven’t noticed, I’m a _goblin_. I can't afford attention, especially when there are Crownsguard around. And, you’re condescending- I am a grown woman, and just because I may not be the _size_ you’re used to, doesn't mean I'm not! And also, yes, the spell thing, although- I can understand that, I suppose. I was snooping, and it _was_ a while ago.”

Molly’s eyes have widened somewhat during her speech. He absently shuffles the cards, “Well, I don’t think there’s much that I can do on the loudness front, unfortunately. But- in what ways am I condescending, exactly? I can try and work on that, if you’ll agree to as well. I don’t know that you and I will ever be as close as you or Caleb, but I’d- like to be friends, Nott, and friendships are two-way.”

Nott takes a solid second to think about it. It would be hard, adjusting herself, but- it would be nice, to have another friend, (and wasn’t that wild, Nott the Brave, the goblin, having more friends than Veth the halfling ever did.)

“Well, I suppose it depends on the things, but I guess I'm willing to try, Molly.”

They shake hands, and chuckle at their own seriousness. Eventually their teasing morphs from mockery and scorn into more lighthearted mischief, and Jester is glad that two of her close friends are getting along, now, because that means they can all work on pranks together, which is _sure_ to be great, and that she feels less guilty about hanging out with one of them too much.

Nott’s sitting at the bar, wrapped package in hand, letter open in front of her, and she holds the quill apprehensibly- should she sign her name? Would it do more harm than good? She doesn’t know, doesn’t know _anything_ , which is the _problem_. And then a certain purple tiefling slides into the seat next to her, and for whatever reason, she’s soothed, a little, by his presence, and she decides that if anyone other than Caleb would understand, it would be him. (No need to trouble Caleb with this. He's got his own goals, and his magic, and even if that weren't the case, he's with Beau, Fjord, and Yasha on a supply trip.)

“Come with me,” she says lowly, and heads upstairs, not bothering to look behind her.

He follows, and once they’re both safely ensconced within her and Caleb’s room, she spills the whole sordid tale. Veth, Yeza, Luc, the goblins, the river, _everything_.

She cries, a lot, and he holds her, and whispers comforting nonsense in Infernal into her ears. Of course, he doesn’t have much _advice_ , given how different their situations are, but even just his presence is comforting, and so they stay together in the inn for several more hours, and Molly tells her more about the carnival, about the weeks after he woke up.

It hurts, but after- after, they both feel so much lighter, and they smile shyly at each other before Molly splits off to his and Fjord’s room. And afterwards, when Nott sees a bottle of wine the same brand as the one they drank at her wedding, or a flower like the one Yeza would gift her, or other simple, little things that reminded her of what she used to be, Molly would be there, a comforting arm draped across her shoulders, a whispered “ _alright_ ” in Infernal, or even just an acknowledging glance, after which he would distract the Nein.

It's good, being friends with Mollymauk Tealeaf, and this once, Nott can say she is happy to have been proven wrong.

* * *

 

And then the slavers happen. Jester, Fjord, Yasha, gone. They’re running, praying that they aren’t too late, that their friends haven’t been sold or killed, or-

They meet a dwarf with information, and pull her along, and eventually their motley group spies the very slavers they’re tracking traveling on down the glory run road.

They attack, they’re fighting, and Nott is frantically picking the lock, hoping, desperate, that it’s the right one, that she can open it at all, and then Beau screams, “ _Molly!_ ”

Nott whirls, crossbow out, and without thinking, shoots a bolt. It lands right in Lorenzo’s eye, and the horrible man lets out an inhuman wail. His blade is thrown off track, although Lorenzo himself is hardly injured, which is _ridiculous_ , Nott thinks, considering that it was _a bolt to the eye_. She runs, faster than she ever has before, her thoughts racing- _Mo_ _lly, Molly, Molly, what the hell are you doing, Molly, no-_

She reaches them just as Lorenzo swings out again, screaming with rage, and all she can do is reach out and cast _shocking grasp_.

Another noise, although this is less a pained howl and more a growl of irritation, but Nott takes the opportunity. She grabs Molly, who is barely standing, who is swaying like a leaf- hah- by the waist, and she tugs on Beau’s arm- thankfully the monk takes the hint and helps carry Molly’s weight as the trio scramble to get out of Lorenzo’s range. They frantically motion to the others- _run_.

They have Keg to show them where the base is, and at this rate, they’re going to die before they ever manage to find their friends, let alone free them.

So they run. Caleb, Beau, Nott, and Molly, they run and run and run, into the Savalier Woods. They stop when Caleb starts to wheeze, and once they set up camp, Nott rushes over to Molly. Beau's been carrying him over her shoulder most of the way. He isn’t quite unconscious, but he isn’t looking well. Nott pulls a healing potion from her pocket and shoves it down his throat, muttering all the way- “ _not now, not you, Mollymauk Tealeaf you better not be going for a second resurrection, I swear to the Traveler-_ ” and other things, things she mutters in halfling, quiet enough the Beau can’t overhear- “ _I can’t lose you, please don’t go, you purple idiot, please, don’t leave-_ ”

The potion works. His red eyes blink open, and he stares right into Nott’s face, and croaks, “Who’re you?”

And Nott’s heart plummets, because- it happened again, how? _How_? He hadn’t even died-!

“Nott? Nott! Just joking, it’s me,  I admit that was poor timing-,”

He’s cut off by a slap to the face, and a fierce growl coming from Nott’s throat. Her golden eyes are almost glowing, and she snarls, voice filled with emotion, “ _don’t ever do that again!_ ” and then she slams her lips into his.

Their first kiss is wild and bloody, the taste of rust and metal filling their mouths, Nott’s fangs and Molly’s forked tongue making it interesting, and they break apart after an awkward cough.

The two humans are looking at each other, and then the ground- everyone but the two of them, and then Caleb speaks. “Ah, perhaps we ought to keep going? We do not know if we are being followed, and I believe I can manage more walking, if we go slow.”

So they get up and keep going, Nott sandwiching herself between Caleb and Molly so she can keep and eye on both her boys, because apparently they’re  _both_ squishy idiots who will get themselves killed if she’s not there. She holds Molly’s hand tightly, and wraps a claw around Caleb’s arm.

Beau walks next to Molly, and sneaks glances at him every now and then, as if she needs to remind herself that he’s _here,_ that he’s _alive_.

They keep walking until they reach a series of wrought metal gates, twisted by vines. The group looks at each other and shrugs. They need the shelter.

Eventually, they make into the inner portion, and it’s a… graveyard? There’s a pot of tea sitting out in front of what looks to be a small temple, or maybe a home. Before they can do much, a worryingly thin firbolg ambles out from the building, and startles when he sees them. “Oh, well, hello there. Would you like some tea?,” he asks, in a gravelly yet soothing baritone, and Molly chuckles, with only a slight trace of hysteria in it.

“Gods, you have no idea how lovely that sounds, Mr-?”

“Caduceus, Clay. And you?”

**Author's Note:**

> considered: i am a Fan


End file.
